Military History - Korean War

Taking place between World War II and Vietnam, the Korean War is often overlooked and referred to as “the Forgotten War.” However, more Wisconsinites served during this conflict than in World War I. For the first time in Wisconsin’s history, state forces were not activated for federal service on a large scale. Thus it is more difficult to describe the Badger State’s contributions on a broad scale, as the men and women were scattered divided among the service branches. General Douglas MacArthur, a very controversial figure from this period, originally entered West Point through Wisconsin and had strong ties to the state through his father Arthur, a Wisconsin Civil War hero. Five Wisconsin men were awarded the Medal of Honor for the service in Korea, including Mitchell Red Cloud, a member of Wisconsin’s Ho Chunk nation. Roughly 132,000 men and women from Wisconsin served during the Korean War, and more than 700 died.

The Wisconsin Veterans Museum preserves the stories of Wisconsin’s role in the Korean War. An annotated bibliography of published works relating to Wisconsin’s role in the war includes first-hand accounts, memoirs, and books about the home front. Remember to search the museum’s collections to find artifacts, books, oral history interviews, letters, photographs, and more from Wisconsin Korean War veterans. Contact us if you have any questions or comments.

The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is dedicated to preserving the memory of Wisconsin men and women who have participated in America’s military conflicts, from the Civil War through the present. The Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center contains books, letters, diaries, photographs, and other manuscript materials that document the service and sacrifice of Wisconsin’s citizen–soldiers in all wars.